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This page contains 5 sections: developer log, member activity, latest posts, upcoming meetups, and classified ads.
Here's 10 things that happened most recently:
Here's the 10 most recent posts:
🎉 Songkran Travel Insights: Cultural Differences in Travel Behavior Revealed
We analyzed over 100,000 trips during Thailand’s Songkran festival across 106 nationalities, and the patterns are surprisingly consistent — but very different depending on where travelers come from 🇹🇭💚
It almost feels like two different Songkrans in one country.
🏝️🌊 International travelers tend to focus on island destinations, while Thai travelers move across the country using inland routes and domestic transport networks.
🚍 Booking behavior also varies significantly by nationality. According to 12Go data, UK travelers on Chiang Mai–Pai routes often book just a few days in advance, while German travelers on Koh Chang–Koh Kood ferries tend to book weeks ahead.
Israeli travelers show a strong preference for Koh Samui–Koh Phangan routes. Thai travelers primarily rely on buses across hundreds of routes and rarely use ferries.
💧Songkran is Thailand’s traditional New Year in mid-April and remains one of the country’s most important travel periods.
Explore more Songkran travel insights here:
👉 12go.asia/en/songkran-travel-insights-12Go
We have had a very large swing towards people booking directly instead of coming through the OTA's this year.
We use Bokun as a booking provider and have been looking at WeTravel & Ventrata all of which have some good and some bad points to them.
The thing im trying to streamline is the guide management part, ideally if we could do that within the booking system then great, but they all have there limitations.
Just wanted to ask the community what you do? What systems you use and if you have any ideas i could look at.
Thanks in advance
James
We launched AskMe.Travel - a free, AI-powered, multi-media travel exploration assistant that helps you discover places, locations, resorts, and activities.
Completely free with no signup required.
This tool is especially good at making specific recommendations. Some examples,
• Best Family Friendly All-Inclusive Resorts
• Restaurants with gluten-free options in the area.
• Hotels with a pet-friendly policy.
• Activities for individuals in a wheelchair
We would love feedback and suggestions on how to improve the user experience. We are specifically interested to hear if you believe this is a useful assistant for your everyday use.
After 25+ years in Japan, my best travel memories aren’t from anywhere along the beaten path.
Listening to the owner of a soba restaurant in rural Tokushima sing as you dine. Planting coral seeds in the Okinawan sea with guides who became friends. Wearing a genderless wedding kimono in a small Buddhist temple inn in Yamanashi. Discovering how the distant memory of a tempura dish shaped a long-running confectionery in central Tokyo.
These are the kinds of stories you’ll find in “70 Remarkable Japanese Places,” the first print publication from the Japan Travel Awards, a travel award that showcases unique destinations and the people shaping more sustainable and inclusive communities across Japan.
The book is the result of three years of travel, bringing together 70 destinations across the country, each presented in its own color and design (because no two places are ever the same), across 200 pages and in two languages—English and Japanese. It also features three themed sections and a dedicated page to customize it, capture your memories, and share it with someone special.
Beyond a conventional guidebook, this hardcover is a collection of places with stories worth knowing.
📚 Check out japantravelawards.com/rjp for more details, grab a copy, and share it with a friend — I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Hi Ally, I just ordered your book. I'm looking for books written in Japanese to provide vocabulary lists for in English. Since your book is bilingual, it might be a good candidate.
Hi Bart, greetings from cherry blossom-blooming Japan! Thank you SO much for ordering our book! It will be with you very soon and I hope you'll enjoy reading it! 🥹
Hey everyone,
It's been almost six months since my last post here, and during that time I actually managed to connect with some of you on LinkedIn and even grab coffee with a few people! Community has always been the most important thing for me, so that really meant a lot!
Anyway, I wanted to share what our team (all three of us, haha) has been working on for the past couple of months.
We kept running into a problem that really bothered us personally, cause hate spending hours researching and choosing between options, but the results from ChatGPT and Gemini never really worked for me either because they're too generic, and the chat format just doesn't cut it. I'd forget what I even asked for two messages ago and completely lose focus.
It was also really important to me that the app looked simple and clean but still felt intuitive and not overwhelming. I wanted it to feel friendly! (like Duo for example)
On top of that, I'm obsessed with weekend trips, and I really don't want to spend my Friday evening planning one. So the whole idea was basically to build a "weekend trip planner" that does everything for you in seconds. (P.S. we can generate longer trips too, but our main focus is short ones!)
👋 I'd love for the community to try it out — see our iOS and Android links here:
iOS: apps.apple.com/rs/app/flaptrip-ai-travel-planner/id6749229600
Android: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sortavala.flaptrip
PS: I'm always happy to hear any feedback via: forms.gle/PEpBxNR2tGoWYdMh9 or you can just message me wherever is easiest for you!
Hey Ana,
Just downloaded and tested it,
- UI is simple and the UX playful and nice - congrats
Two things to rethink from my perspective:
- The Paywall came to early for me, wasn't convinced yet to pay for it (maybe the map feature should be free as well - but modifying suggestions is behind the paywall)
- Very little possibility to gain my trust - I want to verify recommendation to somehow find out if I can trust the itinerary
Good luck and lots of success :)
Hey! Quick follow-up on the trust point, super curious about this one!
We actually show Google Maps links, and real photos for each spot (at leats we are trying to) Did you get a chance to see those, or did the paywall come before that?
Trying to understand if it's about the data itself or more about trusting why the AI picked these specific places :)
I meant more trusting the AI to pick the right one fitting my preferences - I did see the pictures, I couldn't see the map and probably oversaw a Google Maps link
Hi everyone, I'm a software engineer based in Berlin, and founder of DestList, where I’m building a more personalized travel planning system that combines AI with human curation.
My vision is to build the world’s most personalized travel planning system, one where planning starts with intention rather than logistics.
What makes DestList different is its hybrid approach: we combine the speed and intelligence of AI with the judgment, taste, and care of human curation, so every trip feels personal, well-structured, and ready to book.
What is broken with travel planning in 2026?
Travel planning in 2026 is increasingly turning into a second job, shaped by decision fatigue, generic AI outputs, and growing logistical complexity across borders.
The deeper problem is not a lack of information. It is the opposite. Travellers are navigating too much uncurated input across search, maps, social media, reviews, booking sites, and AI tools, all of which create more options without necessarily creating better decisions. The result is analysis paralysis, fragmented planning, and a travel experience that often starts with stress rather than anticipation.
At DestList, we did not want to build another AI travel agent that simply generates lists. We wanted to explore a different approach, one that responds to the fragmentation of modern travel planning and the impersonality of automated recommendations.
The direction we are exploring is this:
1. Aesthetic & Vibe Mapping (The "Feel" Factor)
Traditional travel search works reasonably well when someone types hotels in Paris, but it struggles when what they are really looking for is a certain atmosphere, pace, or feeling. Travel decisions are often emotional before they are logistical. A more useful planning system should be able to interpret style, mood, and intention, not just keywords and price filters.
2. Human-in-the-Loop Curation
AI can accelerate research, synthesis, and structure. But it still struggles with context, taste, and trust. That is why we believe the strongest model is hybrid. AI can do the heavy lifting across data, but human review remains critical in shaping recommendations that feel relevant, grounded, and realistic.
3. Reducing tab-hopping and fragmented workflows
One of the most exhausting parts of planning is that inspiration, logistics, budgeting, and booking all live in separate places. Travellers jump between social platforms, maps, blogs, reviews, and booking tools, trying to stitch together one coherent plan. That fragmentation is a major part of the problem.
4. Moving from static itineraries to adaptive planning
Traditional itineraries break the moment a flight is delayed or it rains. A better planning system should be adaptive rather than static. If your 2:00 PM walking tour is rained out, the platform automatically suggests an indoor alternative like a gallery or a boutique that matches your specific Style Profile, re-syncing your entire schedule.
5. Better alignment between recommendations and traveler intent
Too often, travel recommendations are shaped by platform incentives rather than actual fit. A more personalized planning experience should prioritize relevance to the traveler, their style, pace, budget, and intent, rather than just popularity or commercial visibility.
Ultimately, the problem with travel planning today is not simply that it is time-consuming. It is that the tools available still do a poor job of translating human intention into a trip that feels coherent, personal, and easy to act on.
That is the gap we believe is worth solving.
👉 Check us out at www.destlist.com and try our free tools including visa check and smart packing tools.
Thanks for your feedback and comments!
Great job!
Will surely use this for my next travel plans.
This website meets all my travelling needs, really impressive and helpful.
Thank you, that means a lot to hear.
We’re trying to make planning feel a lot more seamless and intentional, so it’s great to know it’s resonating. Would love to hear what specifically worked well for you.
Great project.
I'm trying the tool.
Thanks, really appreciate you giving it a try! Would love to hear what stood out to you (or what didn’t) as you explore it.
Thumbs up
Thanks! If you get a chance to try it out, would love to hear what you think.
I have checked it out and the deals there are a combo of what anyone that wants a stressless travel plan will go for.
Really appreciate. That’s exactly what we’re aiming for.
Travel planning should feel smooth and stressless, not like a second job. Glad it came across that way!
Really impressive! Will definitely use it on my next trip! Well done!!!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. I would love to hear what kind of trip you use it for when you try it.
Sure I will 👍
Amazing! Makes planning my trips easier
Thank you so much, that means a lot. Making trip planning easier and less overwhelming is exactly the goal with DestList, so I am really glad that resonated with you.
Great job!
Using this for my next trip.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. I hope it makes your next trip planning process much smoother, and I would love to hear how it works for you when you use it.
Hello everyone, we're looking for your advice today.
How do you choose your travel agency? What makes the difference? What do you look for? Is there a detail which makes you say "that's the one for me!" ?
Perhaps :
- a cool website
- Security, reassuring...
- Good communication from the agency
- A nice "about us" section so you know who you're dealing with...
- Good reviews on Tripadvisor or trustpilot
- the price
- engaging photos...
Looking forward to hearing your answers!
Hi Lucas,
This is a very interesting question and I’m sure you’ll receive a lot of subjective answers.
For me, it’s rarely just about the website, price or even reviews.
It comes down to four things:
1) Alignment: How closely the agency’s approach matches the way I see travel. Whether they value immersive experiences over touristy checklists, and whether their journeys feel thoughtfully designed rather than mass-produced.
2) Mutual understanding: When both sides are aligned in terms of expectations and intent, the entire experience tends to flow much better.
3) Transparency: Clear communication, honest recommendations (even if that means advising against something), and a sense that the agency is not just trying to “sell” but genuinely curate — that builds trust over time. This is the most important for me.
4) Promptness: Timely responses and clear follow-ups reflect how organised and attentive the agency is, even before the journey begins.
In the end, it comes down to a simple feeling:
Do I trust this person to guide me through a place in a meaningful way, or am I just being sold another standard itinerary?
That sense of trust is what ultimately makes the decision for me.
Hi Lucas,
Great question. For me, the biggest differentiators are trust, clarity, and whether the agency actually makes planning feel easier rather than adding more noise.
What usually stands out is:
clear communication
transparent pricing and process
a strong sense of who is behind the brand
reviews or proof that real travelers had a good experience
and most importantly, whether the trip feels personalized rather than generic
That is also a big part of what we are building at DestList. We focus on structured, ready-to-book travel planning that is tailored to travel style, preferences and budget, with human-reviewed curation rather than just endless options. So instead of travelers spending hours comparing flights, hotels, and activities, they receive a more complete and thoughtful plan in one place.
If that sounds interesting, feel free to check out DestList.
Often, we choose a travel agency by its alignment with my clientele but insider privilege, and an uncompromising ability to craft rare, deeply personal, unforgettable journeys
HI Lucas,
actually this is the billion dollars questions, If i may shared my opinion here, Been in hospitality more than 10 years - I'd say travel theme and time based on new things / trends / economy/ world circumstances. Most traveller behavior of spend had change every single minute because people mind can change based on so many facts.
No.1) - How much is my budget loos like? what kind of travel style i need and who will be travel with me does the travel needs additional cost such as visa and vice versa .
No.2) - I never look at the company profile or website so much because social media can do anything to makes it looks WOW factor, But i will looking at what kind of the travel agency / company post on their website such as education content / tips / updated / news etc.. why? because most travel agency they focus to impress the traveller to get the money from the pocket but not really focus on what kind of valued and expereince you will get. and contents is the key to show that how in dept knowledged and expert of the travel agency are.
No.3) how the website communicate with you for example chatbot with AI - you can tell that teh information they give you are automate but not feelings of experience and sometimes keep repeating the same answer :D
No.4) some agency provide a travel form for you to adding everything you want to experience but some website are just a whoelsale package like amazon :D you put what you want in the basket and pay . So a good travel agency should provide you a good form for you to fill your wish it's show they provide you a knowledged and attention not just only want to sell.
No.5) Another important factor I consider is how the company structures its payment and booking process.This gives a strong indication of how organized and professional the company is, including their internal systems, financial transparency, and overall reliability.
I also pay close attention to their policies in case of unexpected situations, such as trip cancellations, emergencies, or if a client is unable to travel. A reliable travel agency should have clear procedures, flexible solutions, and take full responsibility in supporting clients through these situations.
Just my opion :)
Nesha
Thank you so much for your time and valuable opinions ! It's really interesting to see what travelers needs are and how we can meet them in the best ways. We're actually also in the process of adding a "travel with impact" concept, where we'd like to add a half/ or full day which our tourists can share with a local association an actually meet the people, have an authentic exchange and add meaning to their journey (take and give experience) especially for two of our destinations Afghanistan and Madagascar, but that's a whole new subject...I'm already getting carried away ;)
No worries at all. I really hope you pick up some cool stuffs! :) However, i rather prefer to share the raw and reality facts rather than pinky world. those 2 destinations pretty interesting - Well, once you know your business strenght and your business proposition. you should be able to leading the destination! keep it up Lucas.
Dear Travel Massive community,
After years of calling Tasmania home, with its wild coastlines, world-class whisky, and excellent Wi-Fi, we have made a strategic decision that will reshape the future of our community.
Effective immediately, Travel Massive is relocating its global headquarters to [The Republic of Slowjamastan](www.bbc.com/travel/article/20260330-slowjamastan-the-worlds-newest-nation-youve-never-heard-of) (as recently featured on the BBC).
You may be wondering: why Slowjamastan?
We asked ourselves the same question. Here is what we found:
* Visa-free entry for all Travel Massive members
* A thriving local event scene — Slowjamastan hosts more per-capita community gatherings than any other nation in the greater Salton Sea region
* Zero taxes on digital nomads who live in Slowjamastan
* The Supreme Leader of Slowjamastan has [personally confirmed](www.instagram.com/p/DPocUsVEQ9i/) he is a fan of travel industry networking
* Tasmania was getting a bit chilly
Our new headquarters will be located in the heart of Slowjamastan's capital, steps from the famous border crossing on the edge of the California desert and conveniently located near the [Randall Williams International Airport (RWIA)](www.slowjamastan.org/2026/01/28/masses-mobilize-as-sultan-unveils-coffee-parking-and-the-future-of-aviation/) which is launching soon(ish).
We are currently in talks with [The Queendom of Hotdamastan](www.slowjamastan.org/hotdamastan/) to acquire adjacent land to develop our long anticipated [Hot-el Massive](hotelmassive.com) which will cater to hot digital nomads and travel startups.
Free Citizenship for Slowjamastan
As part of our relocation, we have secured an exclusive partnership with the Republic of Slowjamastan — any Travel Massive member is now eligible to apply for free citizenship.
Simply visit the [official Slowjamastan website](www.slowjamastan.org), pledge your allegiance to the slow jam, and you're in. Members will also receive expedited VIP border entry, bypassing the standard queue. Present your Travel Massive membership and [Chief Porder Batrol](www.instagram.com/porderbatrol/) will wave you right through, if he’s bothered to show up for the day.
We are enormously excited about this next chapter and look forward to welcoming the global travel industry to our new home nation. Please update your records and consider learning at least one slow jam out of respect for local customs.
With warmth and unnecessarily smooth background music.
— The Travel Massive Team
From the The Republic of Slowjamastan.
I'm very excited to share that after putting a Travel Massive sticker on their public phone booth last year, that Travel Massive is moving to The Republic of Slowjamastan!
There's just one catch.
I need a direct flight from Hobart, Tasmania (HBA) to Randall Williams International Airport (RWIA) so we can move our office chair. If you happen to own an airline and can operate a flight between Tasmania and Slowjamastan to help, DM me.
I have some points on Braniff I can lend you.
Just need to remember where I put my 5 dubles haha!
Inflation is outta control here, FYI.
Been there, had tea and biscuit with the Sultan, great guy and great place.
amazing decision ... and great tax benefits!!! smart move TM!
This is awesome news, @Ian—assuming it’s not an April Fools’ prank 😄.
I really enjoyed reading about the Republic of Slowjamastan, and I can’t wait to visit this unbelievable micronation, visa-free and as a proud member of Travel Massive.
Lower your expectations.
Roger that, Your Majesty!
Lol
Such incredible news! We're super excited to welcome the TM community to the Queendom of Hotdamastan for some epic networking in Slowjamastan. - High Priestess
Who's gonna tell 'em about the WiFi situation?
Don't you worry - we're all about the Hot-spotting.
You got the "hot" part right. Someone turn some AC on!
Nah - if you can't stand the heat, get outta the kitchen!
Mwah, hah, hah! Oh, have you heard that there's a direct flight from Slowjamastan to Cape Town with zero customs checks!
You know too much.
The notification came through at 1am on April 2nd, so no takesy backsey - safe travels Ian! 😜
It's official! x.com/slowjamastan/status/2039426907264123136
Seems like the perfect place for a new Coachella of travelers😅
Great idea! I am wondering whats next .... a TM event in Slowjamastan?
I think the idea of founding a state is simply wonderful— tax free makes it very attractive... even if m is missing - but there are a lot of people around with great innovation potential for accommodation options
I've been an enthusiastic traveler my whole life — the kind of person who seeks out local history and wants to understand a place beyond the obvious stops. Self-guided tours are one of my favorite ways to do that. But somewhere along the way I started noticing a pattern: the tour exists, the content is good, and then you're handed a PDF.
Try navigating from a PDF on your phone while you're standing on a street corner and you'll understand why I eventually decided to do something about it.
My background is in geography and spatial software — I've spent my career building systems that help people understand and navigate the world. So when I kept running into destination organizations with rich, carefully produced self-guided tour content that was essentially stranded in print or PDF format, it felt like a solvable problem. Adding analytics was an additional bonus, so organizations could actually see how people are engaging with their content. Tour completion experiences that funnel users to partner destinations, donation pages, or advertiser content has also been a high-value addition.
DestinationHub (destinationhub.io) takes existing stop-by-stop self-guided tour content — walking tours, heritage trails, main street routes, scenic drives, bike tours — and turns it into an interactive mobile experience with maps, navigation, and analytics. The organizations I'm building this for already have the content. They just need infrastructure that lets it reach people the way visitors actually travel today.
We're live with our first partner and I'm looking to work closely with a small group of DMOs and CVBs as the next pilot cohort. Organizations that want to get more out of content they've already invested in producing are prime candidates. We will create your content in the platform for you before turning over the keys to our easy-to-use content management dashboard.
Happy to connect with anyone working in this space.
I've never understood why sites can't at least give users a Google map to go with their PDFs. It drives me nuts. I usually create my own Google maps to share for road trips and local tours when I post about them on my website, that just seems like basic information and it isn't hard to do.
I think you found a great niche and hope you are overwhelmed with business. Looking forward to never again having to create my own map from a info on a screen or a PDF when I'm out exploring a new destination!
This is so interesting! I'd love to turn some of my itinerary content into these self-guided walking tours, what a great tool this would be for people to then follow that itinerary without having to add things to Google Maps themselves etc!
I really like the way the locations are displayed on the map. It looks like an open-world video game full of missions to complete... And that would be another great idea to develop and make the tours even more enjoyable.
I was travelling and kept thinking, why is booking still so hard?
So much of it still feels more difficult than it should be. You spend ages searching, comparing, filtering, and trying to work out what is actually the right fit. Then even when you think you have found something, the pricing is not always clear and the final cost can end up feeling different from what you first expected.
A big part of the frustration for me was not just the search itself, but how cluttered the experience often felt. Too many popups, too much upselling, too many steps, and not enough clarity.
It made me realise that a lot of travel booking still feels tied to older systems and older ways of thinking. The industry has moved forward in many ways, but the search and decision experience often still feels behind.
That was one of the starting points for Travorro (travorro.com).
We kept coming back to a simple idea. What if people could explain what they actually want, instead of being forced through the same filters and comparison flow over and over again?
As we worked on that, one thing became clear very quickly. Understanding travel intent is not always simple. Even something like “summer trip” can mean very different things depending on where the person is and what context they are searching from. Timing, seasonality, location and preference all matter, but most platforms still do not handle that very naturally.
So the thinking for us became less about showing more options, and more about helping people make better decisions.
I think that is where travel search is heading. Less rigid filtering, more context, more conversation, and a better understanding of what someone actually means when they search.
I would be interested to hear how others in travel are thinking about this too. Do you think the future of booking is moving away from traditional search and towards something more conversational and intent-led?
Hi Luke, thanks for sharing your ideas here and welcome to the community!
I'd flip the narrative a little on this. I don't believe that booking is necessarily broken (otherwise a billion people wouldn't be able to book a flight or stay at hotels every year) but instead pricing is broken.
The problem with pricing in travel stems from the opaque nature of availability and how things are distributed. Here's a real example. I help a local hotel near my home in Tasmania and we put ONE room price on the OTAs (Expedia, Agoda, Booking) managed by a channel manager. Yet despite us having "one price" the same room is listed with various discounts/deals marketed by OTAs. I call these synthetic deals (my own term). This leads to guests searching multiple channels (including meta search) comparing the room rate and availability in a quest for "the cheapest price", for what should be one room rate offered in all channels.
Consumers are taught by aggressive advertising from metaseach such as Trivago to "not trust" the pricing and to go and compare (side note, Trivago were found by Australian Competition Consumer Commission for misleading consumers on this). All the online players point the finger at the hotel for manipulating their prices, when in fact the hotel is the source of truth. And this is just hotels. Similar story for flights, experiences, cruises, etc. And we haven't even got to the issues about availability - is the room or seat actually available at the advertised price (or at all).
Regarding AI booking, I don't think that consumers will go all the way down the booking funnel to purchase because they have been taught (ironically by the online companies who both created and benefit from problem) to not trust the price. Maybe you'll book direct with your favourite hotel chain or airline via AI - but for anything else, people will want to compare for themselves. Can an AI agent go off and search and compare on your behalf? Maybe....but it seems like a giant waste of energy to me that is not really scalable for millions of concurrent searches.
If you think of pricing/availability as a layer that any booking UX sits on, then any new form of UX will always inherit the underlying problems. So for this reason I don't see a new UX coming along that will change consumer booking behaviour until the underlying layer is solved.
Hopefully some other Travel Massive members who work in the engine room of travel distribution will share their thoughts on this!
My thoughts are that organic travel search will evolve and improve. AI assisted search doesn't return enough travel providers or booking sources and this limit has to bother travelers. It adds to the frustration. Definitely, a search system needs to know more about the users wants. Google search can still collect and build user profiles based on search/view history, but it's lacking the intensity of the conversation. It could feed gemini data to Google search to present highly useful search results. Yet, Gemini's not that popular yet. Google needs that search ad revenue, and the AI sessions won't give it. They make money from people sampling listings and ads.
The answer to your question might be in the matter of what is a conversation. If Google or Expedia or a travel agency website gives me lots of potentially great options/sources, I don't need that longwinded session on ChatGPT with its limited selections, etc. I'd rather just get right to the best providers of flights, hotels, tours etc. Trust is the thing like Ian is suggesting, people want trust first, then lots of great providers, IMHO.
Hi Luke,
This is a thoughtful take, and I can completely relate to the friction you’re describing.
From what I’ve seen, the problem isn’t just that booking is hard; it’s that most people aren’t fully clear on what they want when they start. They might say “summer trip” or “something offbeat,” but what they actually mean could be very different; slower pace, fewer crowds, more local experiences, or just something that feels different from their last trip.
That’s where most platforms struggle. Filters and comparisons can only go so far, but they don’t really help people figure out what suits them.
This is also why many travellers still prefer working with someone who curates their trip. Not because they can’t find options, but because there’s just too much noise and not enough clarity.
I do think things are moving towards a more conversational, intent-based way of planning. But the tricky part is understanding what the traveller actually means, especially in the early stages.
Curious to know one thing: when someone says something vague like “I want something different,” how does your platform guide them without making it feel complicated again?
Really appreciate both of your perspectives here. This is exactly the kind of discussion that sharpens the thinking.
I agree that booking itself probably is not the main issue. The bigger problem is what sits underneath it, especially pricing, availability and how things are distributed across channels.
What I’m building is much more focused on the discovery side of that journey. The idea is not to replace comparison or pretend trust is solved. It is more about helping people get to a better starting point faster.
Right now, a lot of people either work through rigid filters or jump across multiple sites trying to figure out what is actually relevant to them. I think there is room to make that part of the process a lot better.
If someone can describe what they want more naturally and get back options that are genuinely relevant, with live pricing, that does not remove the need to compare. It just reduces some of the noise earlier in the journey.
I completely agree though that any new interface still sits on top of the same underlying pricing and distribution issues. Until that layer becomes more transparent, there will always be friction closer to the booking decision.
That’s why I’m focused on discovery first, rather than pretending a new interface solves the whole problem.
HERE'S THE NEXT 5 UPCOMING EVENTS:
Join Sarah in celebrating 11 years of sustainable tourism through her business Plastic Free SEA and the launch of her new podcast: Two Homes.
Many of you know Sarah as chapter lead for Sydney Travel Massive, and many of you know how important sustainability in travel is for a thriving industry, one that we all love.
On this day 11 years ago, in a boutique hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia, a group of industry professionals gathered to look at solutions to single-use plastic in tourism and hospitality. As a guest speaker, Sarah shared her support for finding solutions and proposed that the community take part in Plastic Free July together. This was the beginning of what's now 11 years of industry engagement on sustainability matters in the sector.
Having gathered insights and solutions far and wide through Southeast Asia and Australia, Sarah's now based in Sydney and continues to drive change in the sector. The new podcast, Two Homes, will explore lessons from both regions and how they can be applied contextually to support more sustainability in tourism through practical insights and actionable solutions.
📍 The Commons, Martin Place
🗓️ Wednesday 22nd April 2026
🕕 2:00pm – 3:00pm
👉 RSVP is essential
She looks forward to seeing you there!
💚 About Plastic Free SEA - Plastic Free Southeast Asia (PFSEA) work with leadership and management teams across hospitality and tourism in Southeast Asia and Australia. We help organisations translate sustainability ambition into operational reality, embedding clear strategy, measurable targets, and accountable systems into everyday business practice. Our work spans waste and materials reduction, responsible procurement, impact measurement and the integration of sustainability into governance and decision-making.
PFSEA focuses on long-term capability. Acting as a strategic partner or fractional sustainability lead, we support organisations to build robust management systems, align teams and strengthen commercial resilience through credible environmental leadership. The outcome is practical, measurable progress. Sustainability that is structured, commercially intelligent and built to last.
? Questions? - contact sarah@plasticfreesea.co
Link to event pageBangkok Travel Massive and Airwallex invite travel industry leaders and innovators to an exclusive networking event at one of Bangkok's best rooftop bars.
Join us on Wednesday, 29 April for drinks, panoramic views, and genuine conversation with the people shaping the future of travel. This industry gathering brings together leading travel brands, creators, and startups — timed alongside Skift Summit and TDM Summit.
We'll be hosted at the award winning Bar.Yard on the 40th floor of Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok, with drinks and snacks courtesy of our sponsor, Airwallex.
About Airwallex. Airwallex is a global payments and financial platform built for businesses that operate across borders — offering multi-currency accounts, international payments, and modern financial infrastructure trusted by companies worldwide. Learn more at www.airwallex.com/sg/solutions/travel
Venue: Bar.Yard (40th Floor, Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok)
📍 Map link: maps.app.goo.gl/9wifPJiQEpcdx4qs9
🗓️ Wednesday, 29th April
⏰ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
🍷 Drinks and snacks provided by Airwallex
👉 Capacity is limited — register early to secure your spot.
We look forward to welcoming you on the 29 April!
— The Bangkok Travel Massive team
About Travel Massive Bangkok
Travel Massive is a global community of travel industry professionals, connecting people across 100+ cities worldwide. The Bangkok chapter brings together hoteliers, tour operators, travel tech founders, and destination marketers for regular events that celebrate collaboration and innovation in one of Southeast Asia's most dynamic travel hubs. Join the Bangkok Travel Massive community to stay updated on upcoming events .www.travelmassive.com/posts/bangkok-travel-massive-309854891
About the Venue — Bar.Yard
Named one of Bangkok's Best Rooftop Bars, Bar.Yard sits on the 40th floor of the Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok, one of the city's most celebrated lifestyle hotels. The open-air rooftop bar is known for its relaxed garden-meets-city atmosphere and sweeping 360° views of the Bangkok skyline — the perfect setting for an evening of easy conversation and new connections. Follow on IG: instagram.com/bar.yard/
Questions about this event? Contact Natalya Wissink: natalya@travelmassive.com
Capacity is limited, so we recommend registering in advance.
Link to event pageTravel Massive returns to Melbourne — join us for an evening of industry networking at Melbourne's iconic rooftop venue.
This May, Travel Massive and Stripe are coming together for a rooftop evening of drinks, bites, and travel industry connections at Easey's Bar in Collingwood.
Whether you're a first-timer or a long-standing regular, this is your chance to connect with the Melbourne travel industry community and meet fellow professionals from across travel technology, hospitality, and tourism.
We're also delighted to welcome James Lemon, Stripe's Global Lead for Hospitality, Travel & High growth industries, who'll be joining us on the night. Stripe powers financial infrastructure for millions of businesses worldwide — from the world's largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups. Learn more at tmsv.co/stripe
📍 Easey's Rooftop Bar, 3/48 Easey St, Collingwood
🗓️ Monday 4th May 2026
🕕 6:00pm – 8:30pm
🍔 Bites and drinks provided by Stripe
👉 RSVP is essential — secure your spot today
— We look forward to seeing you!
🚃 About the venue: Easey's is one of Melbourne's most iconic spots — a rooftop bar and burger joint built around vintage train carriages perched above Collingwood, with sweeping views across the city skyline. It's a one-of-a-kind setting that perfectly captures Melbourne's creative spirit. Learn more at www.easeys.com.au
🌏 About Travel Massive: Travel Massive is a global community for travel industry professionals, with chapters and events in cities across the world — from Melbourne and Sydney to Berlin, Bangkok, and beyond. Whether you work in travel tech, hospitality, tourism, or leisure, Travel Massive is where the industry comes together to connect, share ideas, and build lasting relationships.
✅ Registration is required in advance. By registering, you agree to your details being shared with Stripe for the purpose of processing your registration and facilitating event access. Photography may take place on the evening.
👋 Questions? Contact Casey Mead at casey@cm-communications.com
💡 Pro tip: Complete your Travel Massive profile with a photo, company, and role so attendees can find and connect with you before the event.
Link to event pageJoin the Sydney Travel Massive community for an evening of industry networking and rooftop views from Little National Hotel in the heart of Sydney's CBD.
This May, Travel Massive and Stripe are coming together for an evening of travel industry connections, insights and drinks at Little National Hotel in Sydney.
Whether you're a first-timer or a long-standing regular, this is your chance to reconnect with the Sydney travel industry community and meet fellow professionals from across travel technology, hospitality, and tourism.
We're also delighted to welcome James Lemon, Stripe's Global Lead for Hospitality, Travel & High growth industries, who'll be joining us on the night. Stripe powers financial infrastructure for millions of businesses worldwide — from the world's largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups. Learn more at tmsv.co/stripe
📍 Little National Hotel Sydney (Rooftop Bar), 26 Clarence St
🗓️ Thursday 7th May 2026
🕕 6:00pm – 8:30pm
🥂 Bites and drinks provided by Stripe
👉 RSVP is essential — secure your spot today
— We look forward to seeing you!
🌆 About the venue: Little National Hotel is one of Sydney's most celebrated boutique stays, tucked into the heart of the CBD on Clarence Street. Known for its exceptional design, warm hospitality, and a rooftop bar that feels a world away from the city below, it's the perfect setting for an evening of industry conversation. Learn more at littlenationalhotel.com.au/sydney/
🌏 About Travel Massive: Travel Massive is a global community for travel industry professionals, with chapters and events in cities across the world — from Sydney and Melbourne to Berlin, Bangkok, and beyond. Whether you work in travel tech, hospitality, tourism, or leisure, Travel Massive is where the industry comes together to connect, share ideas, and build lasting relationships.
✅ Registration is required in advance. By registering, you agree to your details being shared with Stripe for the purpose of processing your registration and facilitating event access. Photography may take place on the evening.
👋 Questions? Contact ian@travelmassive.com
💡 Pro tip: Complete your Travel Massive profile with a photo, company, and role so attendees can find and connect with you before the event.
Link to event pageHello Toronto Travel Massive community,
Please join us on May 14, 2026 for an exciting GigSky event. GigSky is a leading eSIM provider that solves one of travelers' biggest annoyances: staying connected while abroad without paying a fortune. GigSky would love to share some trends in data roaming, what customers use their phones for while away, and the next phase of their global partnership with Visa.
This event is for: Travel media and creators (journalists, reporters, bloggers, creators, influencers, YouTubers, podcasters) and travel advisors.
About GigSky
GigSky is the original eSIM travel data company and was a launch partner when Apple first unveiled this technology in 2018. As a mobile operator, GigSky provides travelers with unparalleled access across the globe (in over 200 countries and regions), at sea (on over 350 cruise ships and ferries), and in-flight (on over 22 airlines). Their global partnership with Visa also provides over 4 billion Visa cardholders worldwide with complimentary and discounted data as a card benefit. Learn more on www.gigsky.com.
⏰ Schedule of activities:
6:00 PM: Arrival and networking
7:30 PM: Presentation
8:15 PM: Giveaway winners announced
8:30 PM: Event ends
🎁 GigSky giveaway:
Win a $100 GigSky eSIM credit for your next international trip ✈️
Tell us where you’re taking your GigSky eSIM by sharing an Instagram story OR an IG feed post any time before 8 PM on May 14, 2026. Make sure to tag and follow @travelmassiveTO and @gigsky.esim + use hashtags #TravelMassiveToronto
T&C: The winner must be physically present at the event on May 14, 2026 to receive the reward.
💬 Join the conversation:
Travel Massive:
Instagram: @travelmassiveTO #TravelMassiveToronto for Travel Massive
GigSky:
Instagram: @gigsky.esim | Facebook: @GigSky
Youtube: www.youtube.com/@GigSky
🎟️ Event registration: there is a maximum capacity, so make sure to register. If there is a waitlist still sign-up in case someone is no longer able to come we will add people from the waitlist. In the meantime, please have a look at your Travel Massive profile and take a moment to make sure it is up to date.
👉 Please note:
* All guests must be registered to attend.
* No +1s please.
* Must be an active member of the travel industry to attend with an approved and updated profile on TravelMassive.com.
Make sure to describe what your role is in the travel industry and add associated social media and website links.
👉 Cancellations: If you are no longer able to attend, please try to release your ticket 48 hrs (2 days) before the event so others can attend. Thank you for understanding.
🚨As these events are limited capacity we have a 3-strike no show policy.
📸 This event will be photographed by a member of a Travel Massive team or/and our event partner.
Land acknowledgment
We wish to acknowledge the Ancestral Traditional Territories of the Ojibway, the Anishnabe and, in particular, the Mississauga’s of the New Credit whose territories we gather on. This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties.
Link to event pageBuilding better human connections all over the world.
IMEX Frankfurt is where the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry comes together annually for the largest trade show of its kind in Europe.
Where 4,500-plus global meeting planners connect with 3,100 suppliers from across the world, building powerful working relationships—to create better events, meetings and experiences.
This is where you can walk through the world in a day, immerse yourself in the latest industry developments and ideas, and find yourself at the heart of the global business events community.
Talking Point: Design Matters
In 2026–2027, we’re making Design Matters our Talking Point. Because good design isn’t just good business—it’s how things work, feel and change us.
Design is the ultimate differentiator. It’s design that helps organizations, brands and events stand out and be remembered. So, we’re inviting the global events industry to embrace design as a business superpower. Because it matters.
Learn more at frankfurt.imexevents.com
Link to event pageHere's the 10 latest classified ads:
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